Cockermouth was the scene of a major search-and-rescue operation after a report that a woman had jumped off Gote Bridge.

A helicopter, police officers, the town’s mountain rescue team, firefighters and an ambulance crew spent hours searching the River Derwent and combing the surrounding areas on Monday night.

Emergency services arrived at around 10.55pm, and were later spotted at Broughton Bridge.

A Cumbria police spokesman said: “A member of the public reported a woman had jumped off Gote Bridge.

“An extensive search by emergency services was conducted through the night with no one found.

“Following further enquiries, police were able to identify a woman who was seen in the area at the time of the potential incident.

“This woman was safe and well and had not jumped off the bridge.

“All enquiries into this potential incident have been completed.”

An ambulance was on standby and firefighters from Cockermouth, Workington and Whitehaven were involved in the search.

They used swift water rescue equipment to search in the river itself, moving downstream from Gote Bridge to the bridge at the A595.

A spokesman for Workington station said they were on scene until about 1.30am.